01.04.2004, 23:00
Her er litt info, men da må dere kunne englsshk:
(The Dodge Ramcharger and Plymouth Trailduster)
Introduction
In this paper I will give a history of the Dodge Ramcharger and its twin truck, the Plymouth Trailduster. I will list as well as explain the different options through the years of their production. Then I will give results from a survey I took of people who owned one of these trucks. I will look to inform people about these wonderful trucks. Not many people know that these trucks even exist, and the purpose of this paper is to show how great it is to own one of these trucks, and to give a history of them for the people that own them.
Brief History
Chrysler began producing the Dodge Ramcharger and Plymouth Trailduster in 1974. Chrysler began producing both of these trucks to counter attack Chevrolet’s production of the Blazer, which debuted in 1969. Ford then began to produce their full-size Bronco in 1978 (Smith). These three trucks were to set the standard for full-size SUV’s in the years to come.
Chrysler halted production of the Trailduster with the 1981 model being the last. The Ramcharger lasted until 1993. These two trucks were identical in every way except for the name badges. Their designs were, for the most part, unchanged over the life of their production. The bodylines were never drastically changed through the years, but a Ramcharger enthusiast can easily tell the different years by the body designs.
Drive train
Throughout the production of these two trucks the engine options didn’t really change much. The main engines available were the 5.2 liter 318, and the 5.9 liter 360. These two engines were available throughout the production of the trucks. For a small span of years near the beginning of their production (from 1974 to 1978), the trucks had a 440 big block as an available option. During this time a 400 big block was an available option as well (Chilton 9).
There were three main transmissions used in the Ramcharger and Trailduster. There were two automatic transmissions and one manual. From the time these trucks were introduced the automatic Torqueflite 727 and 4-speed manual (NP435) were available. After 1989 an automatic with overdrive was made available (offroad.com). There was a five speed manual transmission available in the Ramcharger’s last years of production (1992-1993).
From 1974 through 1976 Chrysler put the NP205 transfer case in these trucks. This transfer case was a part time model with four positions: 2hi, neutral, 4hi, and 4lo. In the 2hi position only the rear wheels receive power, in the 4 hi, all four receive power. The neutral position does not transfer any power to the axles. The 4lo position lowers the gear ratio between the transmission and the axles to supply more torque to both axles.
From 1977 through 1979 the trucks used a NP203 full-time four-wheel drive transfer case. This transfer case had five positions: hi-loc, hi, neutral, lo, and lo-loc. While in the hi or lo loc position power was supplied to both the front and rear axle equally. When in just the hi or lo position the transfer case acts like a differential and allows the two axles to spin at different speeds if need be (Chilton 10).
Chrysler went back to the NP205 transfer case in 1980 through 1988 (Chilton 10).
In 1989 Chrysler went to the NP241 transfer case. This is also a part-time four-wheel drive transfer case. It operates the same way as the NP205 does, and has the same positions (Chilton 10).
Throughout the production of the trucks the axle options didn’t change. The axles were a Dana 44 front and a Chrysler 9 ¼ rear. The gear ratio that was used in the axles was 3.23 and was never changed. However, the axles themselves did change over the years. From 1974 to 1976 the front axle was a part time 4WD axle with manual locking hubs. In 1977 through 1979with the use of the NP203 transfer case full-time 4WD axles were used. In 1980 Chrysler used the NP205 part time four-wheel drive transfer case and therefore they went with part time axles with manual locking hubs.
In 1983 Dodge put a CAD (center axle disconnect) front axle in the Ramcharger. This was an automatic locking front axle. When you put the transfer case in 4-wheel drive a vacuum switch was activated and thus locked the front axle. The system has a little collar that would slide over the axle and lock it when the vacuum switch was activated. This system would remain in the Ramcharger until it’s demise in 1993.
The axles always had a 5-lug pattern. Up until 1980 the pattern was a small 4.5" pattern, which is the same pattern as Ford uses on their compact pick-ups and Bronco 2’s. In 1980 the lug pattern changed to a 5.5" pattern, which is the same as the pattern that Ford uses on their full size trucks, as well as the pattern on most Jeeps.
Body
When Chrysler began producing the trucks in 1974 they had removable hard tops. These tops were steel and bolted to the truck. The owner was able to unbolt the roof and remove it, leaving just the windshield and doors. In 1974 the upper window channels of the door also came off with the roof, leaving only the windshield when the roof was removed. The last year of the removable roof was in 1980, after which the body was one solid piece without the removable top.
One of the other major modifications to the body was the addition of a solid one-piece rear hatch in 1981. Before 1981 the rear had a two-piece hatch, with a lower tailgate and an upper window hatch that was attached to the removable hard top.
The grilles that were used changed over the years as well.
![[Bilde: usaflag.gif]](http://www.offroad.no/snitz/uploaded/chevy4x4van/usaflag.gif)
Go Chevy and Go Diesel - twice the size and twice the stink ![[Bilde: XXsmall62d.jpg]](http://www.offroad.no/snitz/uploaded/chevy4x4van/XXsmall62d.jpg)
(The Dodge Ramcharger and Plymouth Trailduster)
Introduction
In this paper I will give a history of the Dodge Ramcharger and its twin truck, the Plymouth Trailduster. I will list as well as explain the different options through the years of their production. Then I will give results from a survey I took of people who owned one of these trucks. I will look to inform people about these wonderful trucks. Not many people know that these trucks even exist, and the purpose of this paper is to show how great it is to own one of these trucks, and to give a history of them for the people that own them.
Brief History
Chrysler began producing the Dodge Ramcharger and Plymouth Trailduster in 1974. Chrysler began producing both of these trucks to counter attack Chevrolet’s production of the Blazer, which debuted in 1969. Ford then began to produce their full-size Bronco in 1978 (Smith). These three trucks were to set the standard for full-size SUV’s in the years to come.
Chrysler halted production of the Trailduster with the 1981 model being the last. The Ramcharger lasted until 1993. These two trucks were identical in every way except for the name badges. Their designs were, for the most part, unchanged over the life of their production. The bodylines were never drastically changed through the years, but a Ramcharger enthusiast can easily tell the different years by the body designs.
Drive train
Throughout the production of these two trucks the engine options didn’t really change much. The main engines available were the 5.2 liter 318, and the 5.9 liter 360. These two engines were available throughout the production of the trucks. For a small span of years near the beginning of their production (from 1974 to 1978), the trucks had a 440 big block as an available option. During this time a 400 big block was an available option as well (Chilton 9).
There were three main transmissions used in the Ramcharger and Trailduster. There were two automatic transmissions and one manual. From the time these trucks were introduced the automatic Torqueflite 727 and 4-speed manual (NP435) were available. After 1989 an automatic with overdrive was made available (offroad.com). There was a five speed manual transmission available in the Ramcharger’s last years of production (1992-1993).
From 1974 through 1976 Chrysler put the NP205 transfer case in these trucks. This transfer case was a part time model with four positions: 2hi, neutral, 4hi, and 4lo. In the 2hi position only the rear wheels receive power, in the 4 hi, all four receive power. The neutral position does not transfer any power to the axles. The 4lo position lowers the gear ratio between the transmission and the axles to supply more torque to both axles.
From 1977 through 1979 the trucks used a NP203 full-time four-wheel drive transfer case. This transfer case had five positions: hi-loc, hi, neutral, lo, and lo-loc. While in the hi or lo loc position power was supplied to both the front and rear axle equally. When in just the hi or lo position the transfer case acts like a differential and allows the two axles to spin at different speeds if need be (Chilton 10).
Chrysler went back to the NP205 transfer case in 1980 through 1988 (Chilton 10).
In 1989 Chrysler went to the NP241 transfer case. This is also a part-time four-wheel drive transfer case. It operates the same way as the NP205 does, and has the same positions (Chilton 10).
Throughout the production of the trucks the axle options didn’t change. The axles were a Dana 44 front and a Chrysler 9 ¼ rear. The gear ratio that was used in the axles was 3.23 and was never changed. However, the axles themselves did change over the years. From 1974 to 1976 the front axle was a part time 4WD axle with manual locking hubs. In 1977 through 1979with the use of the NP203 transfer case full-time 4WD axles were used. In 1980 Chrysler used the NP205 part time four-wheel drive transfer case and therefore they went with part time axles with manual locking hubs.
In 1983 Dodge put a CAD (center axle disconnect) front axle in the Ramcharger. This was an automatic locking front axle. When you put the transfer case in 4-wheel drive a vacuum switch was activated and thus locked the front axle. The system has a little collar that would slide over the axle and lock it when the vacuum switch was activated. This system would remain in the Ramcharger until it’s demise in 1993.
The axles always had a 5-lug pattern. Up until 1980 the pattern was a small 4.5" pattern, which is the same pattern as Ford uses on their compact pick-ups and Bronco 2’s. In 1980 the lug pattern changed to a 5.5" pattern, which is the same as the pattern that Ford uses on their full size trucks, as well as the pattern on most Jeeps.
Body
When Chrysler began producing the trucks in 1974 they had removable hard tops. These tops were steel and bolted to the truck. The owner was able to unbolt the roof and remove it, leaving just the windshield and doors. In 1974 the upper window channels of the door also came off with the roof, leaving only the windshield when the roof was removed. The last year of the removable roof was in 1980, after which the body was one solid piece without the removable top.
One of the other major modifications to the body was the addition of a solid one-piece rear hatch in 1981. Before 1981 the rear had a two-piece hatch, with a lower tailgate and an upper window hatch that was attached to the removable hard top.
The grilles that were used changed over the years as well.
Go Chevy and Go Diesel - twice the size and twice the stink